


Let Go

by Sarita1046



Series: Let Go [1]
Category: The Orville (TV)
Genre: Alien Cultural Differences, Awkward First Times, Confusion, Experimentation, F/M, Foreplay, Hurt/Comfort, Interspecies Awkwardness, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Sex, Robot Sex, Self-Esteem Issues, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-17 05:20:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13652250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarita1046/pseuds/Sarita1046
Summary: What if Alara had taken up Isaac on his offer to attempt relations in S.1 ep.6, and all else followed in context? Will follow the series as it progresses.





	1. Chapter 1

“I…I just don’t want to feel like I’m with a guy five times my build.”

The words stung like icy spray from an unexpectedly cold shower. 

“…A guy?” Alara probed after a second’s pause.

“Yeah, you know,” Josh went on, “You’re stronger than anyone I’ve ever gone up against, in practice or simulation.”

Too bad he’d never seen real-life combat.

“So you’re saying that because I’m strong, I’m masculine?” Alara pressed, increasingly glad that she’d chosen his quarters rather than the mess hall to discuss what had been bothering him. “I thought humans were beyond that belief.”

“Not saying you’re masculine,” Josh rolled his eyes, “Just that…”

“You’re intimidated,” Alara finished for him blandly. “Sorry you feel that way. I have to get to my shift.”

Storming out of the room, Alara resisted the urge to slam her fist through the wall beside his doorway. 

 

Thus had concluded the humiliating conversation that prefaced the possibly more awkward discussion she was now having with her fellow senior officers.

“I would be happy to attempt sexual relations with you, Lieutenant.”

Isaac. Her fellow officer and a synthetic life form had just propositioned to experiment with her. And somehow, even Malloy looked at a loss for words, while LaMarr just glanced at Alara for a response. For some strange reason, her first thought as she stared at him wide-eyed was how in the stars that would work. Her next immediate thought was to berate herself for even giving it that much thought in the first place.

“I’m sort of just working on myself right now…but thanks.”

Not very smooth, but fortunately Bortus had swept in with his apt skill of diffusing a tense situation by abruptly changing the subject. The demonstration that had soon followed wherein the Moclan consumed all manner of bizarre objects definitely distracted the table from the previous conversation. Even Alara – for a time.

Now that she had re-entered her quarters, she found herself restless. At first, she had felt immensely uncomfortable at Isaac’s suggestion – almost violated. She wasn’t some test subject for him to use to report back to Kaylon 1 on the frivolity of biological organisms. 

Then again…an undoubtedly physically powerful and astonishingly intelligent mechanical life form that had never dabbled in something like sex…

As much as she struggled to admit it even to herself, the idea sort of excited her. At the very least, it intrigued her. At that train of thought, Alara began questioning what she even wanted right now in her life. On board this ship. She harbored immense respect for all her crewmates, especially Captain Mercer and Commander Grayson. In fact, all of the human senior officers showed her grace that she only wished she could find in the other human males on board.

Then again, she was young. Her parents insisted that she wait to return to Xelaya to find a partner from her own species. Perhaps…though she refused to just lie down and carry out her parents’ wishes while maintaining celibacy in the meantime. Still, she’d rather not jump to any more humans just yet. Not that LaMarr’s judgey comments hurt her – they just bugged her a bit. Not to mention the only other humanoid on board with whom she felt remotely compatible was the Captain, and he was...off limits, for many reasons.

Which brought her right back around to Isaac. Taking a deep breath, Alara stopped pacing and decided to just address the issue that had been gnawing at her since she’d first started this inward debate. Waiting until the ten-minute break between shifts, the Security Chief crept quietly into the section of the science wing where she knew Isaac usually shut down to recharge.

As the double doors slid shut behind her, Alara swore she could hear the beating of her heart over the low whir of the generators all around the area. Although she held command over every security monitor on board the Orville, the Xelayan couldn’t shake the idea of some undiscovered visual and audio surveillance system that monitored for illicit conversation in the workplace. 

Then she noticed Isaac and stopped short. The Kaylon stood against a wall, the usual ice-blue spheres that passed as eyes nowhere to be seen. Somehow, that gently glinting, featureless silver faceplate seemed almost – calm. 

Idly recalling the recent practical joke fiasco, Alara had to wonder if his threat-detecting sensors worked the same way when he recharged. The blue spheres on his shoulders and waist still glowed in the dim lights of the wide room, adding to the serenity of the humming machines surrounded by the panels open to the starry void beyond.

Attention having momentarily drifted to the soft starlight outside the ship, Alara had to set her jaw to keep from jumping at the voice that spoke from before her.

“Good evening, Lieutenant. Can I assist you with something?”


	2. Chapter 2

Biting her lower lip hard, Alara took the next moment to say the only thing that came to mind.

“No. Sorry to wake you, Isaac.”

“I do not sleep. You did not wake me,” he stated matter-of-factly, the optical spheres of his face flaring to life.

A beat.

“I – I thought I left a report in this area. Radiation tracking.”

Isaac regarded her with a contemplative tilt of his head.

“My sensors have detected no anomalies since the last report. Radiation levels remain at zero.”

Alara wanted to kick herself, before replying with a curt nod.

“Right, thanks. Night now.”

Turning on her heel, she made for the exit and the refuge of her quarters. Whereas an hour earlier, they had seemed insufferable, she suddenly couldn’t wait to get back.

Turning the corner to her quarter’s corridor, Alara stopped just before she bumped into Josh.

“Oh no…” she trailed off, immediately glancing past him to the doors. Why now?

“Alara,” he said earnestly, “I’m glad I caught you. Listen, I wanted to apologize. I had no right to judge.”

“Josh, please, I need to get to bed…”

“Just hear me out,” she hadn’t imagined it – he was definitely slurring.

“Have you been drinking?”

“Listen,” he stepped closer, and she swiftly sidestepped to avoid his attempt to take her shoulder.

“No touching.”

“Okay,” Josh nodded, backing off, “It was wrong of me to talk about your strength when we hadn’t even figured out if it would even be a problem.”

Alara raised her eyebrows. 

“What I mean is, we never had sex. How would we know?”

Alara’s hand came up so fast to cover his mouth it even appeared to her like a blur before colliding with his nose.

Cursing, Josh let Alara lead him into her quarters and apply a wet compress to his nose.

“Thanks,” he muttered, rising from where he'd been sitting briefly on the bed and pulling the compress from her grasp, “I’m going to sickbay.”

“I’ll come with you…” she started.

“No,” he snapped. “You were right. This won’t work. I want all my parts intact.” 

It wasn’t until the doors had hissed shut behind Josh that Alara took note of the small blood splatter on her bed sheets. That did it. She couldn’t sleep here. Not now. 

Glancing at the bedside clock, Alara lay on the opposite side of the bed from the stain and closed her eyes to wait out the next half hour before the security shift went on their break. It would definitely be awkward if some of her own security subordinates caught her tonight.

 

Taking yet another deep breath and armed with an emboldening shot of Xelayan tequila, Alara re-entered the science wing. To both her relief and apprehension, Isaac was still there, now seated at one of the consoles, his back to her.

Watching him carefully, Alara noted the subtle grace of his fingers as they played over the graphics of the display before him. The tequila as well as the shock and humiliation from her most recent encounter with Josh had her nerves on fire. She felt - _brave_.

“You have returned.”

Isaac’s smooth voice nearly made her jump. Right, his sensors weren’t restricted to his “eyes”. Wondering just how many sensors he had and where, exhilaration soon replaced her surprise.

“I have.”

At her simple statement, Isaac swiveled around and stood, approaching Alara slowly.

“How’s the…data tonight?” Alara asked, trying to show genuine interest in what he was doing.

Or perhaps simply to make small talk and delay the inevitable. He had already offered, what was she so nervous about? Maybe what such an encounter might entail? The exotic nature of it all…

“The atmosphere in this quadrant exhibits no signs of black hole, quasar or other threatening features,” Isaac stated, “For at least the next five days, it should be, as the Captain says, “smooth sailing”.” 

Idly, Alara noticed that he had stopped about half a meter from her, hands moving in that engaging yet practical manner. As if he were giving a painfully polite lecture on astrophysics while conversing about the weather at the same time.

“That’s really sweet…I mean, nice,” Alara tried not to trip over her words at his proximity, “Thanks for doing that for us.”

“I am merely performing my duties as science officer,” he replied plainly. “But you are welcome.”

A pause. Alara fixed her dark eyes on his aesthetic ones.

“Is there something you wish to discuss, Lieutenant?”

His question made her realize that the smoldering look that usually clued in humanoid men might not cut it for the current company.

“…I, well…”

May as well be truthful. He was a machine, and hardly seemed judgmental about such matters. If anything, he seemed fairly apathetic.

“The guy, Josh…who Malloy and LaMarr were talking about the other day. I – I accidentally hurt him.”

Isaac dipped his head slightly. “I do recall the discussion surrounding your disproportionate levels of physical strength. Such a discrepancy hurt Josh’s sense of…pride?”

Alara nodded. Had she detected a pause? So the perfect artificial life form did learn on the job, after all. She couldn’t help wondering what else he was capable of learning…

“Though I take it, you now have more time to improve yourself, as you previously stated to be your intention.”

Right. She had originally replied to his offer with that excuse.

“I – I've decided I shouldn’t need to work on myself,” she settled on, “I am who I am. I am strong, and that’s fine. But I want to be able to let go and be me. I just need someone who can match me physically.”

“My offer stands, if this is your inference.”

Bluntness, it was.

"As a pet?" Alara tried to lighten the mood, remembering their expedition to the Calivon zoo.

"As an equal partner." Isaac deadpanned. "If such is your wish?"

“It is,” Alara’s voice was barely above a whisper. 

“Then we should retreat to your quarters,” Isaac gestured a hand toward the exit behind Alara, “The next security shift will arrive momentarily.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration:
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/track/2l20qEDfcl8A6zb9Wax35j?si=Abpw-rYkRkC_pENvZ5QQ-w  
> https://open.spotify.com/track/5bGbZLv2xbpG9EhFTGDwlY?si=3Ec4Zi-rSWO464uEqht5zg

Here they were. Isaac stood facing her, and she kept her eyes averted and focused on her bed. Until they found the stain, and she suddenly recalled the earlier events of that evening. Isaac followed her gaze with an ever so slight pivot of his head.

“Remnants of the incident with Josh, I presume?”

“I-I accidentally hit him,” Alara rushed to explain. "But I made sure he got to sickbay..."

What had happened to her burst of confidence that had her recognizing she should accept her own physical prowess?

Alara sidestepped carefully, before almost crying out when four streams of electric blue light erupted from the fingertips on Isaac’s right hand. Before she could shut her mouth again, the bloodstain vanished, replaced by a barely visible irregularity in the white of the blanket.

“How did you…?” she trailed off.

“Concentrated electrical impulses that, when conducted at the appropriate frequency, can either generate fine currents, access external circuitry or incinerate matter upon contact,” Isaac answered easily. “In this case, I have utilized the heat energy to eradicate the red discoloration from the sheet fabric."

Wow.

“Right, thanks,” Alara sat on the bed, suddenly perturbed by the prospect of that thick silence that seemed to characterize every lull in their conversation. “Music!”

Her command was quickly ensued by a list of Xelayan classic songs she had on file for the built-in stereo system of her bedside table.

“Xelayan melodies, I presume?” Isaac joined her on the bed, turning subtly to face her with a rigid yet elegant swivel of his shoulders. 

“Yep…” Alara caught her bottom lip between her teeth…and laced her arms around Isaac's neck.

Right. Where to go from here? She could kiss him, she supposed. On his…face. Perhaps his neck would be better. Yet he had no mouth, not to mention she had no idea if he would even get anything out of kissing. She couldn't recall another situation where she'd felt so at a loss with a man. Then again, this was more than a little different...

“Are you all right, Lieutenant?”

“Yeah,” Alara pulled back, suddenly embarrassed at her own haste.

“I assume from your actions that you wish to begin our physical encounter now?”

Definitely frank.

“Isaac…” she began carefully, “How much do you know…about sex?”

“I have researched the coital activities of various biological species. The mechanics seem fairly simple, and I can simulate the necessary amenities.”

“So…your kind has experimented with biological organisms before?”

“Kaylons evolved from biological organisms,” Isaac replied, expression as unreadable as ever, “Over the eons, the carbon-based life forms on my home world developed exceedingly advanced technology for purposes of defense and medicine, until eventually, they made the logical decision to integrate their very existence into a synthetic framework, and, as Lieutenant Malloy might say, never looked back.”

“So you’re all in mechanical suits?”

“No,” Isaac said, “For millennia now, Kaylons have reproduced via construction at a central manufacturing facility. Many units do not even possess the humanoid shape any longer. We are built for the duties we are assigned to carry out. I was assembled with a generally bipedal structure so as to more easily communicate with and relate to such biological life forms.”

Alara nodded. His shape certainly looked humanoid enough. 

"Even your name sounds specifically Human," she pointed out.

Isaac inclined his head slightly once again. "On my home planet, all units are assigned numbers upon construction. However, in our contact with the Union, the affinity of biological life forms for unique names became apparent. Provided Earth's status as founders of the Union, I took my name from Isaac Asimov, a famous Human author of fiction and robotics who lived over 400 years ago."

Alara wasn't sure she had ever heard of that author. Well, at least she was still confident her knowledge of Earth cultures surpassed that of many non-Humans on board.

"What's your number on Kaylon?" she decided on. Talk about your weirdest pillow talk.

"I am Unit 314,702," came the immediate response.

Well now, he somehow seemed slightly less like another person than ever - which was both more bizarre and less intimidating all at once.

“Dim lights,” she stated and lay back. “Lie down with me, Isaac.”

The tequila had definitely kicked in.

“Are you comfortable if I embrace you in my arms?” Isaac’s voice seemed somehow milder in the darkened room, amidst the soft melodies playing.

Alara nearly grinned, as she turned away from him. Seems he had been reading up, after all.

“Go ahead, just don’t tell anyone about this,” she allowed, drawing up her knees and closing her eyes. “And if I fall asleep at some point, don’t go amputating any limbs.”

“Lieutenant Malloy had specified creativity in practical jokes,” Isaac responded, gently encircling her torso in his tepid embrace, “To repeat the same prank twice would lack originality. Moreover, you never requested that I play any such jokes on you.”

Logical as ever.

“That’s probably a good thing,” Alara reasoned aloud, her head swimming pleasantly from the lukewarm entity holding her as she relaxed to the lull of the music. “We can take it slow.”

A pause.

“You mean to say that we will not engage in coitus tonight?”

Alara had to purse her lips to keep from snickering at that.

“Not tonight. What else can you do?”

“I have another means of stimulation,” Isaac’s voice was lucid in her ear. “Do you wish me to proceed?”

Unbeknownst to the Xelayan, the Kaylon’s intrigue was already piqued by the elevation of her heartbeat and the gradual pooling of blood in her lower extremities. 

Fascinating.

“Trying to relearn sex for your planet’s archives?” Alara asked with a grin. “Do your worst.”

Alara’s breath caught when in the next moment, the nerve endings of specific bodily regions erupted in a pulsating tickle - ears and inner thighs. Distantly, she registered a slight pressure at these two points as well – as if Isaac had his fingers pressed to these locations. Fine electric currents, all right.

Her next train of thought was to reason that he must be touching her behind…if the currents reached her thighs with him spooning her from that angle. Though that little voice nagging at her for even entertaining this situation still threatened to rear its head, all conscious thought soon slipped away as the tickle increased to a steady vibration, the unseen stream extending from her ears down her neck to her breasts and below - inward from her thighs to her groin. Suddenly, she was talking. And there was no shutting up.

“Isaac!” she whined breathlessly, “No, don’t stop,” when she detected the subtlest hesitation in his ministrations. “You – this is your first time? Doing…anything sexual?”

“I have never been within such proximity of a biological life form,” came Isaac’s factual reply. “My people have no need for such interactions, and my mission on board entails gathering all manner of knowledge pertaining to social dynamics as well as your species' scientific methods. I appreciate your willingness to contribute to my accumulation of data.”

The fact that Isaac’s very words turned her on even more almost made her want to blush.

“I’m your first,” she breathed out, beginning to pant as the tiny currents wracked the small nub at the apex of her thighs.

Alara’s words gave way to a shaky moan, as the swirling heat tenderized both of her nipples at once. At this point, she began grinding back unabashedly against Isaac. Apparently, he had been anticipating this progression of events, as he made no move to back away.

“I am happy to experiment with you, Alara,” came that clear, gentle voice once more, just as her left thigh struck a point that overlapped with the current already captivating everything below her waist. "You can let go with me."

Isaac’s statement and unprecedented use of her first name coupled with the overwhelming explosion of energy in her lower belly proved too much. With a high-pitched shout that she couldn’t care to tone down, Alara gripped the sheets beneath her fingers as her entire body shook with what felt like thousands of excruciatingly blissful spasms. 

Reality came back in steps after that. Slowly, she realized that throughout the experience, the music had gone from quiet and slow to festive to return to a quiet song. A lullaby. Had Isaac tapped into her sound system too to fit the circumstances? Unlikely. She doubted he had a deep enough understanding of mood music. For now, anyway.

“Was this encounter to your satisfaction, Lieutenant?”

Turning to face Isaac, she thought his lack of features suddenly didn’t seem so daunting. The soft glow of his optic affectations remained steady, the matching spheres on his shoulders slowly flashing - perhaps from the energy transfer. Her first full-body climax without even the need to remove clothing. Thinking back to the Orville’s recent excursion to Sargus 4, Alara smiled.

“I’d give it a definite up-vote.”


	4. Chapter 4

The shrill beeping of her alarm the next morning had Alara wondering if the previous night had, in fact, actually happened. Then she rolled over to rise and realized that a good section of the sheets were shredded from where she had clenched them. Right. No harm done. 

Retrieving new sheets from the synthesizer, the Xelayan glanced around her room. The last thing she recalled from last night was Isaac stating that he would to return to the science wing to recharge before leaving with a quiet farewell. Then, sleep had claimed her. Today, every limb felt like jelly. She wondered if Yaphit felt this way all the time.

Studying her reflection in the small mirror opposite the bed, she quickly went about threading her fingers through her unusually frizzy hair - and blushed generously at the memory of the literal electricity that had turned her head into a bird's nest. After swiftly applying her brow makeup, the Security Chief departed her quarters for breakfast.

 

No sign of Isaac or even John in the mess hall. Relieved to encounter Kelly before anyone else, Alara soon sat down with the Commander.

“How are you holding up?” Kelly asked, spooning her food slowly.

“Holding up?” Alara frowned.

“After Josh?” prompted Commander Grayson.

Alara bit her tongue.

“Oh. It’s all good. We’ve both agreed to move on. No drama.”

“I wish I could say the same for the Ed situation,” Kelly rolled her eyes. “At least we don’t have to deal with kids yet.”

“Kids?” Alara asked.

Kelly nodded. “I just got back from the shuttle bay. LaMarr was supposed to pilot Dr. Finn and her sons on their excursion today, but he’s held up with navigational duties here. So we’ve sent Isaac with them instead. Those two boys were fighting non-stop.” 

Kelly noticed then how Alara averted her eyes, taking a tense sip of her water.

“Everything okay?” 

“Yeah,” Alara said for what felt like the millionth time, gaze returning to the Commander. “Just late for my shift.”

Well, if she had been caught off guard by the mere mention of Isaac’s name following their – encounter, the news that soon followed of their non-responsive communications sent Alara into a genuine frenzy.

Not that she let it show, of course. The Chief of Security had to remain the coolest in a crisis.

Even though she felt genuinely terrified for Dr. Finn and her boys…Claire had generously offered to be her Obi-wan…whoever that was. In any case, she had provided her much-needed support back when the Captain and Commander had ended up in that zoo and Alara had been trusted with first command. 

And Isaac. Oh, she knew he could take care of himself. And likely his human companions, as well. And yet, anxiety gnawed at her stomach like a rodent until the news came that the Orville had detected the moon where they had marooned and would be embarking immediately for a rescue.

 

Once Claire, the boys and Isaac had returned, Alara nearly abandoned shift an hour early to greet them. She’d an overwhelming urge to embrace both Claire and Isaac. Truth be told, she wanted to take Isaac to her quarters and…well, she could try and sneak off now. He would likely still be working his own shift in the science wing until lunch hour at noon.

Making her way through the double doors, the Xelayan caught herself before rounding the corner. Voices sounded from up ahead. A few science officers at one console – and two other individuals further away at the head of the room. Peering cautiously around the bend, Alara blinked and made out two silhouettes against the large blue spherical wall panel. 

The doctor and Isaac, standing about half a meter apart. Barely able to make out voices, Alara could plainly see that Isaac was gesturing. Perhaps Claire was thanking him.

“Welcome to the family.”

That she was certain she had heard correctly- and wanted to kick herself at the pang of envy she felt. Here was Dr. Finn – a brilliant, lovely woman. And a scientist, just like Isaac. Surely, she would prove a more interesting subject of study than an intellectually stunted youth like Alara. Which had the young Chief of Security inwardly berating herself yet again, this time for even thinking that she possessed Isaac in any way. 

Turning to leave the science wing before she ran into the departing Claire, Alara tried not to let her frustration grow. He had gotten her off, plain and simple. Maybe that was all he had wanted from the situation. For all she knew, he might even have expected it to be a one-time thing. Then again, the stirrings of arousal she felt at the mere thought of Isaac watching after Claire’s children impressed even Alara herself. It was probably just because the men she had dated – both Human and Xelayan – were far too immature to even know the first thing about children. Though somehow, she expected that had likely been the case with Isaac as well.

“Good morning, Lieutenant.”

Whirling around, Alara wondered how Isaac had caught up with her without following behind. Had he caught her watching them?

“Isaac! Are you okay? I’m so glad you’re back!”

Though her first urge was to embrace him, she restrained herself just in time.

“I am fully intact and, fortunately, so are Dr. Finn and her children.”

“That’s…such a huge relief,” Alara settled on. “Where are you headed?”

“I am on course for the mess hall to spend time with our fellow officers,” Isaac gestured slightly past her, “Will you join me?”

“Mm, sure,” she smiled lightly and went to continue in the other direction.

“Lieutenant,” Isaac began again. “I had a question for you. Something that occurred to me quite some time ago and has further piqued my curiosity since we last saw each other.”

Alara tried to will away the blush that surely spread from her ears to her toes. Surely, his programming inhibited references to intimate relations in public. She truly didn’t need another situation like Josh’s drunken visit. Then again, Isaac hadn’t been built to engage in anything intimate, so he might not be aware of that basic etiquette…

“When our group of senior officers first boarded the Orville, your facial features appeared differently than they currently do. You now have – eyebrows, like a Human. Why is this?”

Wow. Blunt, yet not sexual. And they were alone, for the moment. May as well indulge him. Suddenly, fashion seemed an easy topic. 

“The Orville crew is about 90% Human,” Alara replied honestly, “I use makeup to better fit in.”

“Why is fitting in important to you?” Isaac pressed.

“People take you more seriously if you blend in with the majority,” Alara answered.

“Ah,” Isaac’s arms rose in that disarming gesture he so favored, “The majority. Lieutenant, if I may, particularly following our expedition to Sargus 4, would it not seem that the majority opinion does not always favor fact, nor truth?” 

Alara averted her gaze, chewing the inside of her cheek. If only…

“I…was quite fond of your face before the appearance of the eyebrows."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This chapter contains my first attempt at 'smut'. Please be gentle. :)
> 
> Musical inspiration: https://open.spotify.com/track/1oGPw3ZDWofYXkHtcbwqhY?si=fJcRgLW3Tl-EalZ78E_Baw

Meals continued normally for several weeks. Work went on as usual. Deliveries went smoothly, the need for security enactments few and far between. Alara only saw Dr. Finn, Ed and Kelly on the bridge. The remainder of the time, she spent either with her staff or with LaMarr, Malloy, Bortus and Isaac. To her relief, Isaac adhered to her wishes and spoke nothing of their encounter.

Though, if she was being honest, the craving had started again. And now that she had gotten a taste of what the Kaylon was capable of, she wanted more…stars, she’d be happy just with another treat like he’d shown her a few weeks prior. The release had been unlike any other, taking the edge off her nerves far beyond even what the strongest alcohol could have achieved. Now she wondered how or even if she should approach him to request another round. Though she couldn’t fool herself – she longed to know what those currents would feel like with something inside her as well.

Such were the thoughts frequenting Alara’s mind when she dozed half-asleep the morning before the Orville was to negotiate a peace treaty between the warring Navarrian and Bruidian cultures. This dream was nice, though. That familiar haze had her certain it wasn’t real and yet, she didn’t want to part with that exquisitely warm feeling in her belly, the steadily building tingle between her thighs punctuated by a blue light flashing gently from the surrounding darkness…

Her alarm sounded. A new day.

Fortunately, the largest crisis of the first few hours prior to negotiation proved more personal than political when news spread that the archaeologist brought in to help negotiations turned out to be Darulio, the same man with whom Kelly had her affair on Ed…only to be exacerbated when the Commander once again slept with the Retepsian. At least that gave Alara an excuse to tear herself away from her bored staff and restless mood.

“Why Darulio?” she asked Kelly.

She truly was curious. Captain Mercer seemed like the ideal man most women would want to come home to – on whom you could rely in matters both professional and social.

How could Kelly possibly toss that away?

“With Darulio, it’s like this…sexual electricity,” Kelly had explained.

At the mention of electricity, the Xelayan tried not to shift noticeably.

No, focus. Commander Grayson was acting strangely. As if spending time with Darulio meant more than the upcoming peace talks. This wasn’t like Kelly at all, something LaMarr agreed on.

When Ty and Marcus approached Alara claiming that they couldn’t find their mother, the Security Chief overrode the lock in sickbay to find Claire covered in…Yaphit. Well. Suddenly, her own depravity didn’t seem so severe. Right, apparently the need for concern over Claire’s intentions toward Isaac seemed to have passed – ridiculous as it had been in the first place. Still, something seemed very off. Finn found Yaphit creepy, to say the least.

Though some consulting of both the doctor and Yaphit soon shed light on the connection to Darulio. Well, if she couldn’t deal with her own desires, she was at least going to find out how this random alien had such a desirable effect on those he came into contact with...and beyond, it would seem. Heat. Pheromones. Sure. Only, why hadn’t the Retepsian warned anyone of this? Obviously, all Union officers received mandatory cultural sensitivity training, a primary rule of which prohibits members of different species from insulting an aspect of other peoples.

Yet Darulio’s biology had literally compelled unsuspecting and otherwise unwilling individuals to engage in intercourse. That drew the line for Alara, and she let Darulio have it. Aliens with unique anatomies couldn’t just waltz onto her ship and act like they owned the place, ensnaring the crew to their beck and call…okay, she knew she was projecting a little. But as Security Chief, the Retepsian's actions, infidelity among her friends and the resulting barely successful political negotiation pissed her off.

 

The evening of Darulio’s departure, Alara decided she had nothing to lose. Seeing Claire, Kelly and even eventually Ed give in to the alien chemical had made up her mind. No pheromones were involved here. Alara wanted what she wanted, and it was her choice to ask for it.

Striding straight up to Isaac in the science wing without even a bravery shot, the Xelayan stated boldly yet mutedly, "Isaac. Please meet me in my quarters this evening after dinner. I’ll leave the mess hall early. Wait till the other senior officers leave, then come over.”

“Is everything all right, Lieutenant?” Isaac asked, turning slightly away from the console to face her.

Nodding curtly so as to not alert the other officers several meters away, Alara turned to leave.

 

Glancing everywhere but at Isaac during dinner hour proved more challenging than she would have expected - if admittedly ridiculous. At about an hour before closing, she bid everyone good night and left without a backward glance.

Once back in her quarters, the Xelayan used a wet cloth from the synthesizer to hastily remove her brow makeup. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she ultimately decided against taking a shot. She had just played a large part in saving the Orville's latest mission. No fear. Ignoring her hunger from having skipped most of dinner due to nerves, Alara braced herself when the door buzzer sounded.

“Come in,” she stated shakily. She hoped her voice sounded solid enough.

Isaac stepped in, expression as unreadable as one would expect from unchanging eyes on an otherwise featureless face. The doors shut behind him with a hiss.

“Your brow appears natural,” he remarked, hands only slightly raised. “How are you, Lieutenant?”

“I –" 

She trailed off. Come on, get it together... 

"Your command of the situation resulting from Mr. Darulio's unfortunate predicament was quite impressive." A compliment to put her at ease, no doubt. 

"Thanks..." she managed, making sure not to break his gaze this time.

Out with it.

“Isaac, would you want to try that again? What we did a couple weeks ago? With the currents on the bed?”

Smooth. Though if there were an actual term for that type of foreplay, she had no idea what it was and somehow suspected he likely wouldn’t either. Did something like that even have a name?

“You desire another physical encounter?”

“Yes,” Alara realized they were once again standing there looking at each other, and moved over to recline on the bed. If she let herself overthink this too much, she might back out.

Isaac approached her, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

“Dim lights,” Alara breathed, eyes never leaving those glowing imitations of his. “Music.”

Isaac cocked his head slightly. “How far shall we proceed tonight, Lieutenant?” 

“As far as the night takes us.”

Cheesy, sure. But again, this was all natural. No pheromones necessary. She wanted Isaac. Whatever they might call him on her home world – machine, robot, synthetic imitation. She needed this. The way he made her feel, physically, and with that utter lack of judgment.

The Kaylon gingerly placed a hand on her knee as Alara began stripping off her clothes, unzipping and removing her jacket and then pulling off her undershirt. She made sure to focus all her attention on unclasping her bra, even as that sweet, sweet tingle again spread from her knee to her inner thigh to her groin.

No regrets. He wanted to experiment, and so did she.

Biting back a moan at the loss when Isaac removed his hand to help her shimmy out of her slacks, she leaned back. Most of her clothing now discarded in a pile on the floor by the bed corner, Alara took a moment to ground herself, including adjusting to the knowledge that the Kaylon could now see most of her. 

Eyes returning to Isaac’s face, she let them close as she began stroking a hand up along her abdomen, letting her fingers brush across both of her breasts. Isaac’s attention was definitely all focused on her, and she had to admit she was grateful for his silence. In fact, seeing how focused he was only made her want this more. The way his head ever so slowly followed the motion of her hand, first as she sidled out of her panties – and then, as her fingers found the nub at the top of the space between her thighs. She moaned audibly, working herself a little harder, eyes never leaving Isaac's neutral face. Using her other hand, she felt around her left thigh and tested herself with one finger from below. A narrow space. It had definitely been a while. Still, the wetness there confirmed her growing excitement. 

All at once, Isaac’s gentle touch overwhelmed her senses again, as she registered his warm, textured fingers trace the hot flesh beside the hand she used to tease her nub. In the next moment, that blissful current found her opening and entered. With a soft sigh, Alara caught her bottom lip between her teeth as she threw her head back against the pillow. The current continued, burning an ecstatic path up into her belly.

“I have calculated the width and depth of your interior, and you appear sufficiently aroused." Miraculously, even Isaac’s words couldn't shatter her reverie. “If you wish, we can proceed with intercourse.”

Width and depth? Isaac was customizing himself for her. Despite his logistical phrasing, a tremble rippled through her body at this sudden realization.

“Yes, please!” Alara soon realized her own hands had abandoned her lower body, since completely replaced by that delicious current, her legs falling open instinctively. She just dearly hoped he would avoid the word ‘coitus’ until this was all over.

Gradually, she sensed a pleasantly warm pressure against her knees before the heat reached her entrance. Opening her eyes, ears extra sensitive to the melodies playing, Alara just made out two glowing blue spheres drawing closer in the darkness above her - before her insides were accosted by something warm and solid. Shutting her eyes again, she cried out, not quite in pain, not quite in pleasure.

“Alara,” her name in Isaac’s voice almost made her accommodate to him right then and there, “Are you all right?”

Eyes opening once more, she nodded furtively. "I-like it when you say my name..."

“Your heart rate is elevated and your muscles have tightened. Please try to relax.”

He wasn’t wrong. Perhaps her arousal hadn’t eradicated all of her nerves, after all. It was then that Alara realized that Isaac was completely inside of her. Leaning over her on his hands, her knees drawn up instinctively around his waist. 

After taking a deep breath, she noticed a slightly stronger current radiating from his – appendage - straight up into her pelvis. Partially of her own primal accord and half due to Isaac looking like he needed prompting, Alara took the initiative and began moving her hips back and forth.

He filled her perfectly, there was no doubt about that. While she definitely preferred to see anything before it entered her body, the fact that she had no idea what Isaac's simulated sexual extremity actually looked like almost added to the kink. Whatever it was, it was working in brilliant combination with the steady pulses. Electrical currents that could both stimulate and calculate...the very thought spurred her on further, moaning loudly as Isaac seemed to catch on and swiftly matched her rhythm. 

Bucking up her hips in response to what felt like a particularly exuberating spark that reached from her inner walls to the bundle of nerves above, she gripped Isaac's upper arms…and was ecstatic that, for the first time in she couldn’t remember how long, the person receiving her excited affection did not cry out in pain or back away.

Isaac remained steady above her, hips moving back and forth in a perfect mirror to her own. A machine. Slightly vibrating within her. Needed recharging. Basically a super intelligent pleasure toy. Already feeling an impending climax at that very idea coupled with all these sensations, Alara decided she wanted to see just how far the Kaylon could go. Raising her hips once more, Alara used her weight to flip them over so that she was on top. Biting her tongue at the initially uncomfortable change in angle and choosing to ingore the slight shift and give she felt from the bed frame beneath the mattress, Alara soon found her rhythm again, this time speeding up while her fingers seized Isaac's shoulders in a vice-like grip.

"I take it you are enjoying this experience, Lieutenant?" The subtle question seemed bizarre given those optic lights looming up out of the shadows.

"I'm sure an advanced being like you can take it," she smirked darkly before leaning down and whispering beside Isaac’s face, where an ear typically would have been. “You told me to let go.”

Idly, she noticed that below each of her arms, Isaac's shoulders were steadily flashing with blue light once again.

“Let go, Alara.”

That frank yet smoothly resonant tone contrasted sharply with what happened next. Before Alara could register what had occurred, she was against the wall beside the bed. Despite the rapid change in position, Isaac hadn’t withdrawn from inside her, as he kept steadily – painfully slowly now – thrusting in and out of her. With a harsh gasp, she threw her arms around his neck and hoisted herself up around his waist, legs curling around his body as he held fast to her lower back. As her movements increased, so did his hips – until, within the next few moments, she threw her body back against the wall behind her, culminating in a final thrust forward that struck that place deep inside with both solid and electricity. 

Her sharp cry all but drowned out the sound of erupting glass, as the mirror shattered behind her.


	6. Chapter 6

After several moments, she registered herself being lifted up and lain on the floor. The cool air in the room calmed her heated flesh. Glancing down through her sudden grogginess, she managed to detect a hint of something cylindrical - softly illuminated like a blue cinder in the darkness, before fading into the shadows of the room. 

Following multiple offers to repair her bed and mirror, Alara finally managed to get Isaac to leave well enough alone. 

The events of the previous day followed up by last night's indescribable experience had finally caught up to her. Bedroom aesthetics could wait, and right now she just wanted to sleep. Throughout the night, she had come to several times to notice that the Kaylon was still beside her, sitting against the wall, the lights of his limbs and waist no longer flashing. Though once she’d noticed that his eye lights were still active, she figured he couldn’t be recharging or anything.

“Isaac. I need to sleep. If you can’t recharge here, please go back to the science wing.”

Cold, yes. To a biological male, perhaps. Isaac seemed utterly unfazed.

“I recharged prior to arriving at the mess hall. Are you certain you do not wish for repairs to your quarters?”

“No, I’m good.” She replied blearily.

“Would you prefer I bring your blanket over here, provided that the bed is broken?”

Alara stifled a groan.

“I can sleep on the floor for now. Please, my shift starts soon.”

“Your shift does not begin for another three hours, twenty-six minutes and thirty-nine seconds.”

Damn it.

“Thanks, Isaac. Watch the glass on your way out.”

A pause.

“There is no need for caution. I have diffused all trace of the shattered glass pieces.”

Okay. Now she sort of felt guilty – and knew she’d likely feel guiltier in the morning, once she was less delirious from fatigue.

“I appreciate it,” she murmured. “See you tomorrow, Isaac.”

“See you later today, Lieutenant.”

Brilliant. Curled on the floor and muttering to an emotionless being that had just made her feel things she hadn’t even come close to dreaming of.

She would never again heed her parents’ claim that the military had nothing stimulating to offer.

 

Later, when her alarm sounded, the Security Chief awoke begrudgingly to find herself draped in the blanket from her bed.

After her shift, Alara retrieved a new mirror from the synthesizer and installed it herself with a little help from Dr. Finn, who was taking a break between her own shifts in sickbay.

“Thanks for helping me out,” Alara said, sliding the final corner of the frame into place on the wall, while Claire sealed the whole thing with a hand-held welder.

“It’s a welcome change from the day-to-day routine,” the doctor smiled. “I have to admit, I’ve yet to have a patient come in injured by glass. It's lucky you weren't hurt. You collided with it in the dark? Were the lights not working?”

“Yeah,” Alara nodded, stepping away and taking a seat in one of the two chairs beside the small window, carefully avoiding the bed and hoping Finn would do the same. The doctor was definitely curious today. “They were fine when I got back. Weird. How is everything? Are the boys okay?”

“They’re doing better now that the Darulio incident has passed. Thanks again for watching out for me, Lieutenant. I really appreciate it.”

The doctor took a seat in the chair opposite.

“Of course,” Alara smiled. “Any word from Yaphit?”

She didn’t mean to pry – but there it was.

Claire rolled her eyes. “He’s been fortunately absent from sickbay. I know he didn’t mean to take advantage of me or anything, though still…would have preferred if the boys hadn’t caught on.”

“They figured it out, huh?” Alara raised her eyebrows.

“Getting smarter all the time. In all things, actually,” sighed Finn, “Though Ty’s always loved learning, now even Marcus seems to have gained more of an interest. Probably from hanging around Isaac.”

Alara cleared her throat. “I heard he was pretty good with them.”

Dr. Finn smiled then. “Definitely a machine, no doubt about it. No social skills and absolutely no sense of nuance in conversation. Still, was the most dependable – person I’ve ever come across when caring for my boys. Maybe that just makes it all the more obvious that he’s not a flesh-and-blood man.” 

The Xelayan suddenly thought back to that morning, waking up beneath the blanket - and shook off that welling sense of insecurity and possessiveness. She couldn’t get pulled down by the same immaturity that she’d already spent months insisting to people like Captain Mercer and Chief Newton she didn’t suffer from.

Not to mention Claire was the one person she may have actually felt any inclination to divulge what had transpired between her and Isaac…and yet. Although she had caught the doctor in an undoubtedly compromising situation with Yaphit, Alara still didn’t feel comfortable disclosing her own recent activities. 

“Well, next shift stars in five. Thanks for the project, and check the lights before bed tonight,” Claire rose from her seat and headed for the exit. “I’ll see you later.”

 

And the next days did pass without incident…until the wall of fire rose seemingly from nowhere, leaving in its wake the first dead officer under Alara’s watch.

Lieutenant Harrison Payne.

The roiling defeat and regret she felt overwhelmed her to the point where she could barely hold a calm expression or even a forced smile. An all-encompassing, endless wave of turbulent guilt that spread from her chest to every centimeter of her being. The worst of it was all of the senior officers insisting that she couldn’t have done anything to prevent his death.

Were they taking it easy on her because of her age? Of course it was her fault! They had called her down to move the bulkhead for a reason – she was the only one on the ship strong enough…

Well, not the only one. 

“Dr. Finn has already informed you that Lieutenant Payne’s injuries were too severe for your rescue to have made an impact,” Isaac stated, as she passed her break with the Kaylon and other science officers.

She didn’t want to be alone nor interact with beings that had eyes. Eyes held pity. Eyes reminded her of Payne's lifeless gaze staring into nothing. Isaac’s static imitations were a welcome relief.

“I didn’t even try,” Alara repeated for the second time that day, “I’m apparently afraid of fire because of an incident I don’t even remember.”

“You spoke with your parents,” Isaac’s attention didn’t fully leave his work at the console.

“Sorry to bother,” Alara went to turn away, “I didn’t know where else to spend my break…”

She stopped short, as Isaac’s fingers curled around her own.

She turned back to see him now standing facing her, giving her his full attention. Was handholding something else he had learned from his time with Dr. Finn and her sons? Alara swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

“The Lieutenant is destroyed, and nothing can be done to remedy this fact,” he said mildly. “The important thing now is to ensure that you have the mental stability to handle such situations in the future, so that when another such instance arises, you can function at full capacity.”

Alara glanced up at Isaac from what seemed like her hundredth space-out that day. That was it. She had to make sure she would never make this mistake again.

“Can you…test me?” she asked, keeping her voice low, even though only two other officers were currently in the wing.

“Lieutenant?”

“Can you create some sort of simulation? I could ask Dr. Finn to erase my memory of asking. Just for the short-term. I need to face terrifying situations – even scarier than the fire. It’s the only way I’ll get to the bottom of this. The fire can’t be my only fear. I need to wipe out any others before I screw up again. Can you do it?”

“I can certainly devise such a simulation,” Isaac inclined his head, “I can accumulate various fears from the other officers. But, Lieutenant, a memory erasure? Dr. Finn might not agree….”

“I'll invoke Directive 38. Isaac, it’s the only way,” Alara pressed, fingers now clutching his as she stepped closer to him, looking into his face with earnest. “The fear has to be real, and the Captain won’t let me resign…”

“Because he believes you are qualified for your position,” Isaac remarked.

"As senior officer, I am making this an order," Alara returned sharply...then she closed her eyes briefly. “Isaac…please?”

“Very well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. The next installment might include Isaac's POV (a daunting undertaking for sure).


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration: 
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/track/6zmmizkrjDNQ1csCAPqGaa?si=DDcmW-XVRTW0y0jIqGsU7Q  
> https://open.spotify.com/track/6a9f5xE0Suoo6OdxSpxtHI?si=jJWy2K4KRtG4buj3DmAXuQ

Unit 314,702 considered this next task carefully.

Directive 38 of Union Military Law had been invoked. Not even the Captain could intervene. 

Not that this unit or any other Kaylon were truly bound by any Union law. 

This unit – now called Isaac to its test subjects – had only one objective: To ascertain every feasible aspect of current Union technology, and assess risk capacity to rivaling Kaylon-1 and its proceeding colonies.

Now a Xelayan – a member of an ordinarily intellectual and physically powerful Union member race – had requested to be tested on the basis of fear.

Such would undoubtedly prove a highly useful method of determining just how far this biological organism would go – and yet, Isaac admittedly admired her stamina. Similar to how the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Claire Finn, impressed. The relentless motivation to risk one’s life to save others – because those others were often too weak to protect themselves.it was a distinct fondness from the kind harbored for more feeble members of biological races, such as the doctor's children.

How fascinating were these races that still so strongly valued compassion and bravery. How necessary traits such as valiance and love became when one’s fellows could perish so easily.

And yet, so primitive. In the encounters with Alara Kitan, Isaac had wondered at the all-encompassing biological drive for procreation – even when the other party involved was incapable of procreation. The sheer urge to perform the act without a viable result, many times simply to relieve emotional pressure or feel needed, seemed a notable weakness.

Unit 314,702 had promised efficiency, and the simulation would go on. Surprisingly, all of the senior officers save for Dr. Finn had been quite forthcoming with providing their fears to fuel the program. 

The Moclan, Bortus’s, fear proved understandable – the Kaylon race. Isaac’s status as superior opponent. Then, the Lieutenant Commander did not always hesitate to confess his concerns, after all. Isaac had only to wonder if Lieutenant Kitan had ever considered a Kaylon opponent – and if so, how the fact that their most recent encounter within her recollection would be that of intimacy? An act of ultimate trust among the majority of biological life forms…

Isaac suspected the factors of both memory and the threatening environment provide during the simulation would culminate in both fear and anger for most carbon-based organisms – including the Xelayan. 

This hypothesis would soon be tested.

 

On her way back to Mercer’s office, Alara had her first encounter with insanity.

The hideous, grinning, disappearing clown. A creature from old earth legends typically associated with parties and fear simultaneously.

The detour to the Captain’s office was a genuine waste of time.

“Soundness of mind to question your sanity means you’re not insane.” Right.

No way. She wasn’t only intellectually stunted, as her parents never failed to point out. Now she was losing her mind too. Was that why she had frozen at the flames? Had her mental state already started coming unhinged at that point?

After that point, everything passed in a flash…

The spiders, Kelly almost swallowed by nothingness, Claire murdering Nurse Park and then trying to murder Alara, the giant alien beast that killed Gordon—even after running what seemed like kilometers, she swore the surgical goo on her abdomen still hadn’t dried.

And then she was alone. The plasma storm wracked the ship dangerously, lightning flashing outside as rumbles sounded from all around, the voice of the Orville announcing intermittent warnings.

“Hello, Alara.”

Idly alert to the uncharacteristic utterance of her given name in a public setting, Alara couldn’t describe the sense of relief that immediately welled up thereafter, as she registered the voice’s owner and turned to face Isaac.

“Everyone’s gone,” she exclaimed, as they both took to the consoles to examine the ship’s interior for any life forms.

Soon, however, the guilt over the second death she’d witnessed in the past two days enveloped her once again.

“Gordon died right in front of me…”

“I am very sorry to hear that, Lieutenant,” she appreciated his attempt at empathy, “We must remain vigilant, in case the alien creature returns.”

Cold. Ice cold. That was the only way Alara could have recounted the heavy, engrossing feeling that overwhelmed her very senses, as everything fell into place. Sluggishly, the pieces came together, as her sanity begged for it not to be true.

That this – being in front of her whom she had served alongside for months, and…allowed to see and inside….

Was involved in everything that had transpired. She had never told Isaac how Gordon died. This machine, about whom she realized the Union likely didn’t know as much as they let on – had just allowed onto one of their ships, to control facets of their top division scientific operations. They had trusted the Kaylon, just as she had…she had trusted him - _it_ \- even more…

Her growing rage momentarily blinded her judgment as she entered within too close proximity to the Kaylon – and hadn’t time to think before she was flying through the air and slammed painfully against the metal wall behind her. Damn that unreadable face! No warning whatsoever.

Again, the idle part of her brain trudged up the familiar sensation of the last time Isaac had pinned her to the wall – only this time, he threw her with a force that would have broken most of a human’s bones.

The sheer difference in circumstance despite the similar maneuver would have overwhelmed Alara, if not for her fighter’s instinct. Running on pure adrenaline, the Xelayan unloaded all of her hurt – over Harrison, Gordon, her parents, Josh – onto the artificial monster before her. Slamming him first against the consoles until the monitors sparked and his shoulder spheres started flashing again, she did not relent.

Even as his fingers went around her throat, she was assaulted by Gordon’s final ranting, wondering if the spider had laid eggs in his nose…adding to the question of why a Kaylon would even want to study allegedly primitive beings, why would a mechanical life form such as Isaac possibly want to copulate with a biological organism? 

Impregnation with a bioweapon that could spread? Like in the old Earth fables…For all she knew, Isaac could have somehow gotten his clutches in Claire and turned the doctor over to his side...

By now, Alara had used her weight to flip Isaac over the railing beside them, until he stilled for long enough for her to escape back to the outer corridor. Running to the outer hull and trying to ignore the line she thought she could feel burning from where Finn had marked her torso, Alara wanted to scream and never stop.

And then, Isaac was there again, behind her. She had her gun drawn in an instant.

“I do not believe you would shoot me.” 

Of course, the bastard had counted on her being drawn in by his freakish energy abilities. And now he was trying to be menacing, eyes gone red.

"Foolish little girl. You cannot stop me. Soon, this ship will run red with your blood."

Not a chance. She'd had it with people caller her a little girl. The Kaylon flew backward from the force of her weapon, as the ship lurched again, on its last legs.

Then came the wall of fire. She could do this. Isaac would _not_ destroy her.

And the Kaylon didn’t destroy her. Though the Orville was eradicated, as was evidently the rest of the crew. She had failed them yet again...

Then suddenly, everyone was there again. It was all a test in the e-sim. Not real. None of it. Everyone was okay – and yet, she couldn’t look at Isaac. Apparently, she had more in common with Bortus than she would have suspected.

Sure, they had all helped her, including Isaac. And perhaps she was biased – but her encounter with him had felt somehow personal. Why hadn’t he gone after Bortus in front of her to test her instead? Why the taunting about her not being able to shoot him and the calling her by her first name? It all irked her a bit, especially given how had absolutely no memory of requesting any of this. Still, she had to ask about those final details. The fact that he even had the capacity to comprehend the emotional impact caused by such nuances perturbed her.

“Efficiency, Lieutenant,” the Kaylon replied, when she haltingly approached him toward end of shift in the science wing. “I reasoned, little else evokes fear quite like trust rendered false. It would seem that this hypothesis was accurate.”

Alara averted her gaze. “Right. Efficient.”

“Is everything all right, Lieutenant?” Isaac prompted.

“I need to go…”

The Kaylon inclined his head. “If you wish to discuss the results further in private…” 

“No,” she cut him off, “Isaac, I-I can’t do this right now. We need some time apart.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration: https://open.spotify.com/track/3yt6lebWxZqZQTdtYmmLvN?si=bw87Nhh1RXaT3oRe_0fBrA

After an initially restful few nights of sleep, the Orville’s Chief of Security woke to the sound of her alarm, drenched in a cold sweat. As soon as she tried to sit up, dizziness overwhelmed her and she lay back down with a calming breath. A hole burned at the pit of her belly, evidently leftover nerves from whatever dreams had left terrifying flashes in her memory.

Clowns, spiders, being beaten and nearly blown up….only none if it was real. She knew she had no reason not to trust her crewmates – especially when it had all been her idea. Still, the sickness gnawing at her insides had her raking her fingers through her hair until they painfully scraped against her scalp.

What was her true fear, then? Did she even have any fears other than fire? No matter, she couldn’t face Isaac to ask him. She didn’t think she could even face her own guard staff at the moment.

When bile shot up into her mouth, Alara barely had time to turn over onto her side and retch over the carpet beside her bed. Luckily, there was nothing to make a mess. With this sudden sickness, that horror returned full-force, tears filling her eyes spontaneously as she sat up slowly and drew up her knees, quivering.

That lasted about five minutes. The sickness passed, replaced by shame and anger over feeling such self-pity. The worst part was that craving had returned. The yearning for that electric oblivion. Stars, was this what addiction felt like? Not to mention her stomach still burned and it wasn’t just from hunger.

She had not slept with Josh, so there was no chance of pregnancy. And Isaac – well, even if she had actually been injected with an alien parasite, surely the effects would be worse than nausea. Unless that was just the beginning…idiotic, she knew, and yet the fear that he had used her to infiltrate the Orville and, by extension the Union, still tore at her insides.

Still, sitting there worrying wasn’t going to help matters. She needed to figure this out. After alerting the guard crew that she would depart an hour early from their side of the Brig, Alara pulled on her uniform and paged Kelly.

“You okay?” Kelly looked a bit tired, yet concerned. Maybe she had been out late again with Ed. How the Xelayan envied the Commander for having a comparatively normal relationship with a member of her same species.

“Yeah…just will you come with me for a check-up after afternoon shift? Ten minutes top, I promise.” Alara asked.

Kelly nodded. “No worries. I’ll have about 20 minutes between afternoon and dinner.”

 

Dr. Claire Finn had had a hell of a day so far. 

First, Yaphit had come in claiming to have lost a piece of himself, only for it to turn out that Bortus had accidentally consumed said piece. Following a highly bizarre and admittedly disturbing retrieval of the piece by Yaphit himself, Claire was more than ready to retire for dinner.

And then the Commander and Security Chief entered.

“Sorry to bother, Claire,” Alara said sheepishly. “I – I’d like an abdominal imaging exam.”

“Are you having digestive discomfort?” Claire eyed her, heading to prepare the examining table.

“A little, but…I just want to get checked out,” Alara replied, cautiously avoiding Kelly’s probing gaze.

Clearly, this had been juicier than the Commander had expected. If Alara were in Kelly’s position, she probably would have felt the same.

The next few minutes felt longer than her entire time on the Orville thus far. The gentle cylindrical monitor barely touched her clothed torso, hovering in Claire’s hand. Kelly and the doctor could see the image monitor. It was too high up for Alara to catch.

Staring up at the grey ceiling, Alara nearly jumped off the table when Dr. Finn finally spoke.

“Everything looks fine, Alara. You are perfectly normal and healthy for a woman your age. Maybe try eating something, hunger can cause indigestion. Can I ask a question though?”

Alara was almost too busy catching her breath in relief to reply. “Yeah?”

“Is the reason for Commander Grayson’s presence related to what I tried to do during the simulation?”

Alara sighed. “I think that’ll be in the back of my mind for a while. All of it. But I trust you, Claire.”

“Alara, I’d like to ask a personal question,” Dr. Finn continued, setting down the imaging probe, “Would you be comfortable with the Commander leaving?”

“I’d like her to stay,” the words left before she could stop them.

“Okay, then. Tell me – were you thinking you might be pregnant?”

Alara bit her bottom lip. “Yes. M-maybe. But I haven’t been with a guy in…over a year.”

“Then how…” Kelly stopped herself, presumably from prying.

The tears were back, that stupid lump forming in her throat again.

“Alara,” Claire put a hand on her shoulder, “It’s all right, everything said here is completely confidential. You aren’t pregnant, and you said you haven’t had intercourse…”

“I-I have,” Alara barely uttered before trailing off as the tears finally fell.

After wiping her cheek, she idly noticed Kelly’s utterly confused expression. It likely would have made the Xelayan laugh in any other situation.

“You’re in a safe place, but I’m not quite sure why you would be concerned about pregnancy if you haven’t been with…”

“Isaac,” was all Alara sobbed in reply, shutting her eyes.

Even before re-opening her eyes, she could feel the stillness in the room around her.

Naturally, Kelly spoke first. “Isaac. Kaylon Isaac?”

It sounded even more ridiculous when admitted out loud. Sitting up, Alara managed to keep the break out of her voice long enough to explain in brief.

“He-he said one day he wanted to experiment. Then I hurt Josh…” she covered her eyes with her hands.

“Josh?” interjected Claire, the first word she had spoken since the reveal.

“The ensign she was seeing before,” Kelly filled her in. “Human.”

“Humans and Xelayans can’t reproduce anyway…” Claire trailed off mildly.

The self-consciousness nearly overwhelmed her. Why did the Doctor have to know Alara’s weird recent sexual activity? Of course, looking over at her now, she noticed Claire’s mouth was open slightly. The look in her eyes – she looked…stunned, if not a bit unpleasantly taken aback. Alara guessed she hadn’t anticipated the Kaylon to be interested in sex with all of his social oddities. For all she knew, Finn was feeling envy – though surely, a woman of Claire’s age was too mature for that. And after the simulation, Alara was feeling pretty moronic for ever having been jealous over Isaac. Even if he wasn’t homicidal, he had absolutely no clue how to even tie emotions to events and conversations, let alone to intimate relationships. Stars, just last week he had asked how a pet would improve Bridge operations – everything was about efficiency with him. 

Then she felt a cool hand on hers and opened her eyes again. Kelly.

“It’s okay,” Kelly smiled gently, “No one here is judging you. Hell, I was with Darulio and that both destroyed a marriage and then almost expedited an outbreak of war.”

Claire followed suit with a pat to Alara’s other shoulder before she turned off the imaging panel. “And not to worry, Alara. There is definitely no way a biological organism could breed with an artificial life form.”

"I-I worried he had some plan when he first asked me...to do that," Alara sniffled, clearing her throat and sliding off the exam table to follow Kelly out of sickbay, "When he...attacked me in the simulation, I guess I just got paranoid. It's all fine now. Thanks, Claire."

"Well, now you know none of that was real," Claire was all business, "Remnant anxiety is only natural after such a traumatic experience. Come back if the stomach issues continue, but for now, you're good to go."

 

Following what had arguably been their most exciting mission yet – the ‘flatland’ of two-dimensional life forms – Alara was thankful for the distraction provided by the wonder of the multi-phasic planet.

The marvels out here never ceased to amaze…even when she had to sit with the crew and watch while Isaac and John demonstrated exactly how the phasing occurred. When she found herself enticed even by his regular manner of lecturing, she wanted to kick herself.

And Kelly had inadvertently become a deity in the eyes of the planet’s people. Okay, Alara had to admit, she felt a little less guilty at her own actions now. She could only imagine how Kelly must be taking responsibility for all the religious strife occurring in her name – and over centuries upon centuries. Which was undoubtedly why she offered to remain on the planet until she could convince the people to see her as a fallible mortal rather than a god.

But she would die, as Ed pointed out. And so Isaac offered to go instead. The damn Kaylon was always offering things. Whether she still feared that he might damage these people as she admitted she still worried he’d do to her, she knew one thing…those eleven days without him would present both an utter relief and a strange void.

“Only 700 seconds to me, Captain.”

Though, in truth, the crew had no idea what those seconds, days or years would make of Isaac. Which is why, as soon as the briefing concluded and the crew agreed to leave Isaac with the planet’s natives before the next phasing, Alara departed rapidly for her quarters.

She had almost made it too.

“Lieutenant.”

Damn that resonant voice. It would haunt and thrill her for how much longer she had no idea.

“Yes,” she turned around, willing herself to hold his ‘gaze’. 

“As no one is currently standing within earshot and I presume you do not wish me to enter your quarters, I will debrief you here.”

“Debrief?” Alara frowned irritably.

“I will share with you the results of the assessment. I expect you might desire the data prior to my departure in the next hour.”

Alara chewed the inside of her cheek. “I guess you’re going to tell me anyway.”

“Your other fear besides the fire was inadequacy. Your levels of adrenaline, nor epinephrine and serotonin reached peak levels when you feared for the safety of your crew and this ship – higher than when you believed Dr. Finn and myself were intent on destroying you. Provided the stimulus and corresponding reaction, the conclusion reveals that your greatest fear comes more from your own self-doubt than any obstacles posed by external threats.” 

A pause. For some reason, that lump was threatening to well up yet again.

"Lieutenant, if I may, I do have one other question."

She said nothing, just focused on that point between synthetic eyes.

"The last time we spoke, you mentioned needing 'time apart'." Again, with the head tilt and hand gestures. "From what I gather of interpersonal dynamics, such a statement often indicates hurt on the part of the party in need of space. How have I hurt you, Alara?"

She marveled at the realization that his use of her first name was likely an attempt at conversational familiarity, rather than intimidation or duplicity. Such a strange and frustratingly alluring machine. Seeing Kelly literally worshipped by several men and an entire village had been surreal enough. She could only wonder how those same people would process a being like Isaac - an entity who could actually survive millions of years.

It took all Alara's willpower to keep her face from contorting into a sob. That was just it. He hadn't directly done anything to her. He hadn't tossed her around a cargo bay, or beaten her into a stairwell, tried to slice her open or blow her up. It had all been an illusion - and it had all been for her benefit. He had done exactly what she had apparently instructed him to do. Ordered him to do. And yet, looking at him still wrenched at her insides and she had no idea why.

“Nothing. It's fine. Thanks for telling me the results,” she looked away as the wetness touched her eyes. “Have a good journey, Isaac.”

She turned on her heel and escaped the several meters to her quarters.

An hour later, watching with the rest of the crew as the planet phased out for its next 700-year cycle and Isaac’s voice faded out mid-sentence, Alara wanted to scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, only one more chapter scheduled after this one. Will be interesting to see where canon takes us in a year! I highly appreciate all the wonderful support thus far! :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration:
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/track/4GTLL35HpkuHUSouJR4K7h?si=ex30NnZ7RWi23t9HPxOjBw  
> https://open.spotify.com/track/0vvOFuDpUc4m7Ud72OjZ10?si=dZ7wtsOWQzGUcRL8YPcZOg

Busying herself with polishing medical instruments, Claire didn’t know how to feel…or what to think.

Still mildly reeling from her inadvertent encounter with Yaphit, she was hardly prepared for the knowledge that the youngest member of the crew had been intimate with an…artificial being that she hadn’t even expected to understand the first thing about intimacy, much less sex.

Fondness, yes. Isaac had told her in no uncertain terms that he was quite fond of her boys – something no man, not even Yaphit, had ever said. In fact, after growing accustomed and even often coming to prefer the frank yet somehow innocent nature Isaac portrayed, she had absolutely no trouble seeing how the Kaylon’s actions during the simulation could have terrified Alara. Hell, more than terror – betrayal.

Still, she couldn’t shake the spike of protectiveness she felt over Alara, knowing that a girl not eight years older than Marcus had been…experimenting with the arguably most elusive crewmember on the Orville. Especially when the Xelayan had mentioned that it was Isaac’s idea. Still, if that simulation had proven anything in the end, it was that Alara could take care of herself. Besides, with Alara's superior strength and Isaac's...multitude of oddities, she supposed she understood the young Xelayan's seeking compatibility where she could find it.

Dr. Finn shook her head, resolved to mind her own business. Isaac would soon return and then they could see how his presence had impacted Kelly’s accidental contamination of the multiphasic planet. 

 

Commander Kelly Grayson couldn't quite describe the utter feeling of relief she felt over the fact that the Kaylon had gone in her place - not so much because it would spare her the experience of growing old and dying among a strange species, but more due to her certainty that Isaac could help the planet's locals see the light in a way they never had while worshipping her.

The very concept of an entire populace seeing her as a deity - a woman who had hurt the person she loved the most - saddened her greatly. She had literally seen grown men fall at her feet, harm and murder in her name. And yet, seeing the fascination on that holy man's face when he first realized that the source used to heal his hand was technology had been like witnessing a miracle. Until, somehow, the word never spread and they were forced to employ new tactics to clean up her mess.

Now, Ed actually seemed to be willing to give their relationship another shot, and she simply couldn't do it. Even though it would make her the happiest she had been in a while, she had finally admitted to herself that she couldn't think clearly while they were romantically involved. Still, rocky as their friendship/comradery/on-and-off love affair had become, she couldn't imagine what Alara must have gone through...must still be going through. First hooking up with a being as foreign as Isaac at all, only to be tricked by her entire crew on an order that she had no memory of, to then have to watch the departure of the Kaylon who had played a part in all of it. And in truth, none of them knew when or if Isaac would return. At least Ed was still here. Until the next phasing, however, Kelly resolved to maintain normal friendliness with the Captain, without leading him on. After the phasing, however, their relationship would have to become strictly professional.

Drawing her fist back, Alara shredded the fifth punching bag of the past hour. Moments later, the simulation ended, leaving the Security Chief panting with bloodied knuckles.

She’d been holding off on the monthly call with her parents. She simply couldn’t stand to face any criticism just now. It wasn’t healthy. In fact, she had decided to space apart their calls to every three months. If she hoped to protect this crew to the best of her ability, she had to let go of any self-doubt. Only positivity. There was enough pressure with running a starship security division. She didn’t need added tension, especially when it couldn’t always be relieved by the levity of her crewmates or…that damn exhilarating electricity sex that she’d all but given up trying to deny she craved – or find a name for.

Particularly over the past several days, Isaac’s absence had eased Alara into the stage of deciding that forgiveness was worth having him back as a friendly crewmate and sounding board. When she looked at the bigger picture, he had clearly thought she could handle everything he threw at her – and that proved more confidence in her than any of her professors on Xelaya or even her own parents had ever shown. Most importantly, he had ultimately helped her realize her own strength. Hell, even when she considered his vastly superior intellect, once a source of primary insecurity, she now realized that an entity like Isaac likely viewed all organic life forms as roughly at the same level of intelligence. She couldn't be too much of a simpleton, if everyone else also was.

Yes, he was infuriatingly blunt. Yes, he came off as arrogant at times. Yes, he was an alien and the true intentions of his planet still held more mystery than Alara preferred.

But damn, if she didn’t feel for him what she was fairly sure she’d never felt for any biological life form. That intimidating, seamless blend of intimidation, excitement, trust and comfort. And in several hours, the planet would reemerge.

 

The blinding flash of light that accompanied the appearance of the two glowing figures startled undoubtedly the entire senior crew. Alara just remembered to close her mouth before hopefully anyone noticed. Teleportation – a technology that, thus far, Xelaya and even the Union at large were still a large ways from achieving. Seems the Kaylon had impacted these people after all.

In fact, the emissaries' luminous white uniforms, coupled with the colossal megastructures riddling the planet’s current surface, had Alara wondering if Isaac had steered the natives to construct a Dyson sphere – a structure that harvested the total energy of a planet’s host star and which, until now, had remained an aspect of science fiction.

The Kaylon stood behind the two beings in white, looking completely unchanged.

“We thought it was time we returned your artificial life form to you,” said the woman, smiling. 

That had almost sounded like an objectification, Alara decided, as she stayed lost in thought on the way back to her quarters after all crewmembers aside from the Captain and Commander were dismissed. Of course, Alara was in no position to judge, seeing as she had, not two weeks ago, compared the Kaylon to a vibrator.

Now she was back at her quarters and sighed, pausing to open the doors.

“Good evening, Lieutenant Kitan.”

Alara’s stomach dropped, as she turned to face him. Yes, definitely still Isaac. 700 years later.

“Isaac…welcome back. How are you?”

Nice.

“I am well, thank you. You have hurt your hands..." he motioned to her bandaged knuckles.

She folded her hands sheepishly behind her back. "Just trained a little too hard. I'm fine. Where ar you headed?"

"I am on my way to visit Dr. Finn’s son, Ty, as he had asked that I visit first thing upon my return.”

Alara smiled tightly. “That’s sweet…how was your trip? You really seemed to have helped those people.”

“They would have found their own way just as easily without me,” Isaac inclined his head. “I find it fascinating, the ability of biological life forms to evolve from primitive entities with few goals apart from basic needs and curious habits into a civilization with technology that promises to rival that of Kaylon one day.”

Alara couldn’t help herself. “Curious habits?”

Isaac resumed his disarming hand gesture. “While among the natives, I spent the majority of my time in stasis to endure the passage of time. However, when in stasis, my sensors remained alert enough to process the fundamental actions of those within close proximity. During my first several years on the surface, several males and one female developed a semi-nightly routine of visiting my resting area by the capital government facility and – as Lieutenant Malloy might say – bonding with themselves while focusing on me. Evidently, my artificiality coupled with the alleged connection to Commander Grayson provided them excitement. Perhaps they believed that I could not detect their presence.”

Alara didn’t know whether to scoff or gag. “Good thing they stopped after a couple years.”

“The subtle nuances of physical intimacy continue to elude me,” Isaac replied, “When these people visited, they never spoke. Nor did they ever approach me while I was active. The distinct behavior accompanying sexual activities between these people and…our time together. I find it fascinating, Lieutenant. Take care, there is no one within listening range.”

Alara let out a noisy breath.

“You were always quite vocal,” Isaac continued with that slight head tilt, “Speaking to me, completely present with me the entire time. You only fell quiet when in need of rest, and this was also the only time when you no longer desired my presence for such encounters.”

Two encounters. After 700 second-years. Talk about a vivid memory. She supposed she should feel flattered. He had picked up on her subconscious desire to relate to him while she allowed him in. Somehow those luminous optical imitations looked far less ridiculous or ominous and all the more beautiful.

“So…” she began when he paused, “My data was more interesting than theirs?”

“More stimulating, yes, Lieutenant,” he nodded. “Which is why I wish to explore it further.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all for your amazing support! I've grown oddly attached to this story/pairing, and now seriously anticipate the continuation of the series. Season 2, here we come! :)


End file.
